Bizstory Blog

Words with purpose: how should a content strategy look?

You might just have a knack for creating content (how fortunate if you do), but without a documented content strategy you can easily lose sight of your objectives.

It is essential that there is a 'why' attached to every piece of content that is published on your social media platforms, blog, or website. This 'why' establishes your goals, and therefore your ability to measure results.

But what does a content strategy look like? Let's break down what you need to include, into three categories: goals, logistics, and execution.

Goals: Outline why your company needs to engage in content marketing.

What are you hoping to achieve? What action do you want your audience to take after viewing your content?

How do you see your content affecting your audience's perception of you? Do you want to be perceived as a thought leader, innovator, a one-stop-how-to-shop?

Your audience is your first consideration. You could have all the goods on offer, but unless you're meeting the wants and needs of your audience, everything will disappear into the web vacuum. Hint: customer desires can be found within their queries and objections.

Next, consider what types of content and platforms appeal to the sensibilities and habits of your target demographic. Long form articles, videos, or practical guides? Emails, Facebook, Twitter, or a blog?

Make a guide for planning topics. Choose 3 or 4 broad categories that are specific to your business or industry, and always work from these.

Execution: Set expectations for your operations.

Create a content marketing calendar to determine deadlines for both completing and posting content on each of your chosen platforms.

Sincerely examine the capacities of your team members who will be creating your content. Do they realistically have the time and resources to complete articles according to your deadlines calendar? If not, you may need to consider outsourcing a copywriter or co-creating your content marketing.

Determine the framework for how and when you will record and monitor the success of your content (Success is based on your already defined goals).

These three categories are what should form the basis of how to write a content strategy plan.

Remember to always return to your over-arching purpose. Without your goals, it’s easy to get caught up in words and ideas, but ones that become meaningless.

So, what are you waiting for? Go draw up a document and get a content plan in place, so your ideas don’t end up in a black hole.

And if you have further questions or need some assistance in the how-to (because it’s no small task), then give us a yell. We do this stuff every day.